1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a photographic camera apparatus with electronic image enhancement and, more particularly, to a photographic camera apparatus in which a photosensitive material is both optically exposed to image scene light and electronically exposed to electronically sensed image scene light.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Photographic cameras which operate to optically expose a photosensitive material to image scene light are very well established in the art. Such cameras may embody elaborate exposure control systems for precisely controlling the time of exposure as well as the size of the exposing aperture in accordance with the intensity of the light detected from the scene to be photographed. However, despite advances in the state of the art made with respect to exposure control systems, there still exists situations in which unfavorable or difficult scene lighting conditions as well as limitations in film sensitivity characteristics can contribute to a less than favorable exposure.
The so-called electronic imaging cameras such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,336 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Lightness Imaging", by Jonathan A. Frankle et al., issued May 17, 1983 in common assignment herewith and now incorporated by reference herein, can operate to electronically detect image data and manipulate electronic signal information in a manner so as to compensate for such unfavorable or difficult scene lighting conditions in the hard copy print provided thereby. Such electronic imaging cameras in some respects represent a substantial advance in the state of the art as a result of their ability to provide some degree of image enhancement or compensation; however, such cameras have yet to achieve the high degree of image resolution provided by the aforementioned conventional photographic camera apparatus.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a photographic camera apparatus with electronic image enhancement so as to provide high quality high resolution photographic prints that have been simultaneously electronically enhanced to compensate either for difficult or unfavorable scene lighting conditions as well as limitations in the film characteristics.
Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises a mechanism and system possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.